PAS may field orang asli as ‘neutral’ candidate

By The Star

KOTA BARU: There is a possibility that PAS may field an orang asli candidate for the Galas by-election to improve its chances of winning, said senior state PAS member Datuk Husam Musa.

“However, this is my personal opinion.

“Based on ground reports there is a split among Malays and a neutral candidate may be the recipe for success,” Husam told reporters after launching the Cheng Ho Expo 2010 here.

He was asked to comment on a statement by the Galas Orang Asli Liaison committee chairman, Pandak Panjang, that the community was also interested to contest in the coming Galas by-election but did not want to be affiliated with any major political party.

To another question, Husam added that although the political scenario did not favour PAS in the coming by-election, Umno had its own problems including whether Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah would accept the offer to become the election director and candidate.

“Umno is desperate by forcing Tengku Razaleigh to take up the offer and in the end the result could be disastrous,” said Husam who is also the State Economic Planning, Finance and Welfare committee chairman.

He also predicted that the end result of the Galas by-election could go either way, adding that PAS was more relaxed despite the fact that the party was defending the seat with a razor-thin margin.

“The decision on who to field rests in the hands of PAS’ central committee and Kelantan PAS would render all help,” he said.